Playing a Round of Golf Solo

[DaveP043 1,965]

11 minutes ago, Lihu said:

This happened to one of my occasional playing partners. He shot a hole in one, but was not tracking his score. He was playing by the ROG, but just decided to play without keeping his score for some reason. We ended up taking all our "notes" and assembled a reasonably accurate scorecard for him and attested his hole in one.

Not sure if he ever got it recognized officially or not?

I don't think there is an "official" recognition for an ace, there's certainly nothing in the rules of golf.  Most of the recognition comes from commercial ventures, I know that you can get a little bit of swag from Titleist if you use their ball for an ace, maybe a brand of shoes or clubs does the same thing.  The biggest prizes for aces are paid through hole insurance, and the insurers have their own set of rules as to what is acceptable.

 

4 minutes ago, Grumpter said:

I completely disagree that it is a slap in the face. In my experience many of the violations help the player feel better about themselves or only help 'improve' their score during their non-competition rounds. If they want to post those scores that only makes them easier to beat in a competition where they have to follow the rules. Sandbaggers should have their handicaps withdrawn not those that mostly only hurt themselves. You honestly do not have to follow the rules to have an index but I still try to.

How do you identify a sandbagger when each player decides which rounds he wants to post and which rounds he doesn't?  It's only when we all follow the same rules, both playing and posting, that we can start to have fair competitions.  For any one player to act as if he's above the rules, that's just wrong to me.

[Fourputt 1,041]

2 hours ago, Groucho Valentine said:

I played in a no holds barred thing a few times with a group of people. Get it in the hole at any cost. The only rules where you had to use a club at least once per hole and if you picked up your ball and try to run with it, you had to be two hand touched in order to be stopped. If you got caught you're out for good. A enterprising fellow from he first time we did it hit his drive and ran his ball into the hole before he could be stopped. Got an ace on a 375 yard hole. It was a bucket of fun. 

The rule is not even remotely important and does nothing but legislate player behavior. USGA overstepped with that one. It deserves to ignored, IMO. 

Yet I think that you are the one who has overstepped his authority.  So how do you resolve that?  The USGA is the governing body for golf in the US.  If you choose to ignore their requirements, then you don't even have a legitimate handicap, and you don't have the right to preach to those of us who do choose to follow the rules.  

This IS a rules forum, and as such soapbox ranting to encourage breaking the rules doesn't belong here.

[Lihu 749]

7 minutes ago, DaveP043 said:

I don't think there is an "official" recognition for an ace, there's certainly nothing in the rules of golf.  Most of the recognition comes from commercial ventures, I know that you can get a little bit of swag from Titleist if you use their ball for an ace, maybe a brand of shoes or clubs does the same thing.  The biggest prizes for aces are paid through hole insurance, and the insurers have their own set of rules as to what is acceptable.

During corporate tournaments, they have people sitting in a chair by the par threes with the Mercedes (or Cadillac, BMW, Porche or whatever) parked on the tee boxes.

[Groucho Valentine 307]

11 minutes ago, Fourputt said:

Yet I think that you are the one who has overstepped his authority.  So how do you resolve that?  The USGA is the governing body for golf in the US.  If you choose to ignore their requirements, then you don't even have a legitimate handicap, and you don't have the right to preach to those of us who do choose to follow the rules.  

This IS a rules forum, and as such soapbox ranting to encourage breaking the rules doesn't belong here.

I dont have any authority. Just choice, and i choose to ignore it. The rule doesn't even effect me much at all because i get more than enough tournament rounds posted by the USGA, NJSGA, GAP or other to validate my handi. Its just a dumb rule. 

This a message board for discussion. Its not church or a court of law. We're allowed to encourage sticking it to the man. 

Edited May 19, 2016 by Groucho Valentine

[Grumpter 37]

33 minutes ago, DaveP043 said:

How do you identify a sandbagger when each player decides which rounds he wants to post and which rounds he doesn't?  It's only when we all follow the same rules, both playing and posting, that we can start to have fair competitions.  For any one player to act as if he's above the rules, that's just wrong to me.

Identification can be made through statistics. If a person is neglecting to post their low rounds and then lights it up in competitions it is fairly obvious. Isn't their a whole court devoted to kicking out sandbaggers at the national handicap competition?

I agree everyone playing by the exact same rules would lead to fairer competition. Weren't there studies done that players are much more likely to have a vanity handicap than to sandbag? Personally, If someone plunks down the amount of money required to play and they want to fudge a rule here and there that ends up helping them score better in a non-competition round I see no reason to get bent out of shape by it when they post it. As long as it doesn't lead to it cheating another player during competition.

Frankly I think the rules could use a large revision to simplify the overall rules. Much like our tax codes could use an overhaul. My guess is it won't happen because there is probably incentive, which usually means there is a monetary advantage, to keep it complicated.

[9wood 62]

Played 18 today. During the front nine I was asked to join up with a five some, I hesitantly agreed, and we became a six some. Right from the get go I didn't like it. I can handle being part of a foursome, but prefer to play as a twosome. Anyhow, I played as part of the six some on the front 9 and told them I was going to play the back nine solo and thanked them for the chance to play with them. I don't know what my score was for the first nine. I just know it was horrendous. We played by the rules, but I felt like I was being rushed and therefore I didn't play well. I played the back nine as a practice round, and my play greatly improved. I did however take one mulligan after one of my drives went deep into the woods off to the right and teed up a 2nd ball. I didn't count the first tee shot although if I played by the rules I should have. But once again, as I already said, I was using it only as a practice round. 

Edited May 19, 2016 by 9wood

[DrvFrShow 273]

@9wood You can count the front 9. 

[9wood 62]

9 minutes ago, DrvFrShow said:

@9wood You can count the front 9. 

I could but I don't know what I scored. One of the other 5 was keeping score and I didn't ask what I had

[No Mulligans 294]

1 hour ago, Hoganman1 said:

I actually enjoy playing alone at times. Just the grass and the birds. I'm a walker so it's a great escape from all the noise and it's good exercise. I guess I do understand the USGA's new rule. There are plenty of sandbaggers (my apologies) and ego handicaps out there. I don't play  many tournaments anymore and my groups almost always play our matches straight up as we're all in that 8 to 12 range so the 'caps don't really matter that much. I guess I disagree with Mark Twain. Golf is not "a good walk spoiled" for me whether I'm with my group or by myself.

I don't think it is about the accuracy of scores or to police sandbaggers.  As has been suggested by others, I think this rule is most likely about moving to one world wide handicap system.  

I won't post solo rounds anymore, no big deal.  They do get posted to my Game Golf account though.  That works for me.

[Lihu 749]

27 minutes ago, 9wood said:

Played 18 today. During the front nine I was asked to join up with a five some, I hesitantly agreed, and we became a six some. Right from the get go I didn't like it. I can handle being part of a foursome, but prefer to play as a twosome. Anyhow, I played as part of the six some on the front 9 and told them I was going to play the back nine solo and thanked them for the chance to play with them. I don't know what my score was for the first nine. I just know it was horrendous. We played by the rules, but I felt like I was being rushed and therefore I didn't play well. I played the back nine as a practice round, and my play greatly improved. I did however take one mulligan after one of my drives went deep into the woods off to the right and teed up a 2nd ball. I didn't count the first tee shot although if I played by the rules I should have. But once again, as I already said, I was using it only as a practice round. 

Was this the starter who asked? Because if it is I'd really like to avoid a course like that!

Generally, a foursome is going to feel a bit more rushed than playing alone. This is because you need to take turns hitting, and likely from different distances. This is one reason most people like pairing up with people of similar skill levels. Then the balls are generally in the same area when you shoot.

[9wood 62]

3 hours ago, Lihu said:

Was this the starter who asked? Because if it is I'd really like to avoid a course like that!

Generally, a foursome is going to feel a bit more rushed than playing alone. This is because you need to take turns hitting, and likely from different distances. This is one reason most people like pairing up with people of similar skill levels. Then the balls are generally in the same area when you shoot.

No it was the decision of the five some to let me pair up with them rather than let me go ahead of them. I now realize that I just should have headed over to the back 9 and played those holes first and then do the front 9

 

 

 

[iacas 7,983]

9 hours ago, Groucho Valentine said:

This solo round thing is feels like morality police and i think its ridiculous. Most people who post scores are honest about it. They should continue to do so if they're playing solo.  Honesty should be player responsibility. We're going to say that the holy golf rules should be self enforced, but not allow the actual score to be player responsibility as well? I don't get it. So in that spirt, players should ignore that one if they see fit. Let that middle finger fly. I certainly do. 

The rules concerning which scores you're allowed to post are rules too.

You're dishonest by definition, a cheat by definition, if you knowingly post unacceptable scores.

8 hours ago, Elmer said:

We have been down this road many, many, many times. 
I am hitting a golf ball, with a golf club toward a golf hole. Call it "modified golf league". Call it a "recreational golf league", but don't be elitist and say we are not playing golf.

We have, and the answer is the same. You're not playing golf. You're playing a game that closely resembles golf. Your score, outside of your league, has no real value.

Now, you can care about that or not. I don't. Do what you want. I don't care. But it's not golf you're playing, as we've been over many times, and your scores should never be posted for handicap because they weren't played under the Rules of Golf, even if you didn't play them solo.

This topic is about playing rounds solo, though, so let's stick to talking about that, please.

8 hours ago, Groucho Valentine said:

The rule is not even remotely important and does nothing but legislate player behavior. USGA overstepped with that one. It deserves to ignored, IMO. 

Every "Rule of Golf" "legislates player behavior." The laws of our country legislate human behavior, corporate behavior, etc. You don't get to pick and choose the ones you like. This makes you a criminal or a cheater.

7 hours ago, Groucho Valentine said:

This stance makes no sense in regards to what you're defending. Im not a cheat because i post accurate rounds when the USGA says i cant.

You're a cheater, yes. You knowingly violate the Rules.

5 hours ago, Fourputt said:

This IS a rules forum, and as such soapbox ranting to encourage breaking the rules doesn't belong here.

To be fair, this isn't in the Rules forum, Rich. It's in the Golf Talk forum.

---

If I was an amateur playing with a handicap, I'd report people who post solo round scores. What if that puts them in a flight in which they don't belong? Or lets them qualify for a U.S. Am qualifier or something in which they do not deserve to play?

[boil3rmak3r 22]

41 minutes ago, iacas said:

41 minutes ago, iacas said:

This topic is about playing rounds solo, though, so let's stick to talking about that, please.

---

 

 

That was my original intent...  As I said in my OP, I am skeptical that folks that play solo rounds do so consistently by the rules.  I can not do that (hence, my solo rounds are practice rounds).  The availability to just "practice" on the actual course overrides any thought that it's an actual round of golf.  I think I benefit from practicing on the course. 

I do believe what many others have said, though; folks that post mostly (or only) solo rounds are very likely to be vanity cappers.  That doesn't harm any of us.  It actually makes it better for us when playing against them in competition. 

Edited May 20, 2016 by boil3rmak3r

[boil3rmak3r 22]

There have been a few posts saying that they will play by the ROG, but if they catch up with a cluster of groups, they turn that round into a "practice" round. 

I suspect the decision to do that would depend on how their round was going.  If they caught up with the other groups on hole 14 and they were playing like crap, sure, it now is a practice round.  If they were having a career day when they caught up with the groups, they would plod along and try to finish the round off properly for a chance to post an exceptional score. 

 

[Fourputt 1,041]

1 hour ago, iacas said:

 

To be fair, this isn't in the Rules forum, Rich. It's in the Golf Talk forum.

---

 

Yeah... there are too many handicap threads active right now.  I forgot where I was posting. 

[Lihu 749]

1 hour ago, boil3rmak3r said:

There have been a few posts saying that they will play by the ROG, but if they catch up with a cluster of groups, they turn that round into a "practice" round. 

I suspect the decision to do that would depend on how their round was going.  If they caught up with the other groups on hole 14 and they were playing like crap, sure, it now is a practice round.  If they were having a career day when they caught up with the groups, they would plod along and try to finish the round off properly for a chance to post an exceptional score. 

 

Playing that way means every extra ball is 2 extra strokes up to ESC, then after 7 holes par plus handicap?

If they started on hole 14, I would guess par plus handicap? Or ESC? Haven't thought too hard about this situation.

12 minutes ago, Fourputt said:

Yeah... there are too many handicap threads active right now.  I forgot where I was posting. 

This must be the heaven of blogs for you right now. 

 

[Golfingdad 2,036]

2 hours ago, iacas said:

What if that puts them in a flight in which they don't belong? Or lets them qualify for a U.S. Am qualifier or something in which they do not deserve to play?

Umm, they lose. ;)

[boogielicious 2,020]

17 hours ago, Groucho Valentine said:

 

I would gladly give some of those dudes at this one club the finger, lol. They're like stadler and waldorf. 

They do strike an uncanny resemblance to some of the USGA Rules committee members as well.